Liverpool have suffered a blow in their reported pursuit of Leroy Sane after Bayern Munich made it crystal clear they plan to tie the player down to a long-term deal at the Allianz Arena.
Sane returned to Germany in summer 2020 for a fee that eventually topped €60m. His sale, though, was a reluctant one by previous boss Pep Guardiola, who had made the winger a significant part of his side at Manchester City, but ultimately was forced to accept that the player was pining for a return home.
And it’s safe to say the move to Bayern Munich has worked out well for Sane, who has won seven major honours since the switch. That includes three successive Bundesliga titles – making him a champion in five of his last six seasons when factoring in his success at Man City
Liverpool have suffered a blow in their reported pursuit of Leroy Sane after Bayern Munich made it crystal clear they plan to tie the player down to a long-term deal at the Allianz Arena.
Sane returned to Germany in summer 2020 for a fee that eventually topped €60m. His sale, though, was a reluctant one by previous boss Pep Guardiola, who had made the winger a significant part of his side at Manchester City, but ultimately was forced to accept that the player was pining for a return home.
And it’s safe to say the move to Bayern Munich has worked out well for Sane, who has won seven major honours since the switch. That includes three successive Bundesliga titles – making him a champion in five of his last six seasons when factoring in his success at Man City.
Having also been a consistent source of goals and assists in his time in Bavaria, it is easy to see why Sane is regarded as one of Bayern’s most influential players.
However, with his current deal due to expire in summer 2025, the 27-year-old will have just 18 months left on his deal by the time the January window rolls around.
As a result, a number of clubs have started to pay attention to his situation in the hope of potentially landing a bargain.
Among them are Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp very much an admirer of the player and having tried previously to bring him to Anfield.
Liverpool dreaming of Sane replacing Salah
Indeed, with Mo Salah continuing to attract the attention of Al-Ittihad and reportedly set to become the subject of a fresh world-record bid to bring him to Saudi Arabia in the summer, there is a growing school of thought that a parting of ways could be on the cards for Liverpool.
Bringing in someone to replace the stupendous goals output of Salah on Merseyside may well prove the trickiest of transfer tasks Klopp has faced since stepping into the Liverpool hotseat.
However, one man who would very much fit the bill – and boasts a record not too far short of Salah’s – is Sane. A inverted right-winger, it is easy to see why the team men are deemed pretty similar in style.
To that end, Liverpool have been told by a number of observers why Sane would be capable of filling Salah’s sizeable shoes. And described as a dream signing for Klopp, the Reds would likely be armed with an avalanche of cash from Salah’s that would surely leave Bayern fearing the worst.
However, Bayern have always made it clear that they want to keep Sane at the Allianz Arena.
That in mind, Bayern will not have welcomed reports last week that indicated talks over a contract renewal with the player had broken down, giving Liverpool fresh hope of prising him away.
Bayern make intentions clear over Klopp fancy
Bayern, however, have shot down those suggestions, having made their intentions clear that they want him to stay.
And in a chat with SportsBILD, Bayern director Christoph Freund stated: “Reports of talks not taking place with Leroy Sane over new deal are fake.
“This is the best Leroy Sane Bayern has had so far. He’s one of the players on whom we want to build the future of the team.”
Freund is absolutely right; Bayern are currently enjoying the best version of Sane they have seen. In 18 appearances so far this season, Sane has nine goals and seven assists from 1,474 minutes of football. Impressively, that means the 57-times capped Germany international has been involved in a goal every 92 minutes he’s been on the field.
Revelling in his partnership with summer signing Harry Kane, the duo have helped Bayern to a formidable start with 15 wins and just one defeat from their 18 matches so far this season.
And while unbeaten in the Bundesliga, that form has not been enough to secure top spot going into the latest international break. That honour is held by Bayer Leverkusen, who have two points more than Bayern with 10 wins and one draw from 11 matches.
If they are to retain their Bundesliga title, it seems Bayern will need Sane at his best, making a new deal all the more important to ensure the player is both happy, settled and not having his head turned by transfer speculation.
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